Taiwan population declines for 33rd consecutive month amid falling birth rates

Taiwan's population fell to 23,213,251 in September, marking the 33rd consecutive month of decline. According to Ministry of the Interior statistics, the population decreased by 11,470 from August and 103,780 compared to the same month last year, representing an annual decline of 0.45 percent.

The island recorded 7,704 births in September, a 10.45 percent decrease from the previous year. While births saw a slight increase from August, the total for the first nine months of the year reached only 69,446. Meanwhile, deaths rose to 16,712, an 8.61 percent increase from a year earlier, resulting in 9,008 more deaths than births.

Demographic challenges are further compounded by migration, with a net loss of 2,462 residents in September. Regional data shows Keelung City had the lowest crude birth rate at 2.86 per 1,000 residents, while Lienchiang County reported the highest at 6.24.

In the context of these declining trends, Changhua Christian Hospital reported delivering several “National Day babies” on October 10. The hospital noted that Taiwan's total fertility rate is projected to reach 0.695 in 2025, a figure lower than those of Singapore (0.87) and South Korea (0.80).